AKQA vs AND Digital: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
AKQA (3.6/5) edges ahead of AND Digital (3.6/5) overall. AKQA is the better choice for fortune 500 enterprises, design within a global agency network. AND Digital is the stronger option for large UK enterprises, design plus team capability-building. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
AKQA vs AND Digital: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | AKQA | AND Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1994 | 2014 |
| HQ | London, UK | London, UK (Covent Garden; also Maidenhead and Leeds) |
| Team size | ~6,000 | 1,001–5,000 |
| Rating | 3.6 / 5 | 3.6 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A 6,000-person, 50-country agency network with more than half the Fortune 500's top 20 as clients, now part of WPP's AKQA Group | Pairs product delivery for named enterprise clients (British Airways, Condé Nast) with capability-building for the client's own teams, at 1,000+ person UK scale |
| Pricing model | Enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) | Enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, React | Figma, React, Design systems/Storybook |
| Industries served | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Financial services / fintech | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Media & entertainment |
AKQA vs AND Digital: overview
AKQA
Ajaz Ahmed launched AKQA in London in 1994 at 21, before finishing university, betting early on the commercial web. The firm stayed independent until WPP acquired it in 2012, and in 2020 WPP merged it with Grey Group to form AKQA Group — the agency now runs roughly 6,000 people across 50 countries. More than half of the Fortune 500's top 20 companies have been clients, and AKQA has broadened well past its web-agency roots into product and spatial design and, more recently, AI-driven experience work.
AND Digital
AND Digital started in London's Covent Garden in 2014, building a product-development-and-team-building consultancy that now runs 1,001–5,000 people across multiple UK offices, including Maidenhead and Leeds. The firm's pitch blends technical delivery with talent development — it doesn't just design and build products for clients like British Airways, Condé Nast, The Telegraph, and Gousto, it also trains client teams to sustain the work afterward.
Services and capabilities: AKQA vs AND Digital
| Capability | AKQA | AND Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Product design | ✓ | ✓ |
| UX research | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mobile development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Design systems | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: AKQA vs AND Digital
| Framework / platform | AKQA | AND Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Figma | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webflow | N/A | N/A |
| React | ✓ | ✓ |
| Framer | N/A | N/A |
| Adobe Creative Suite | ✓ | N/A |
| Design systems/Storybook | N/A | ✓ |
| After Effects | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: AKQA vs AND Digital
| Criterion | AKQA | AND Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Retainer, Dedicated team | Fixed project, Retainer, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: AKQA vs AND Digital
| Dimension | AKQA | AND Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Financial services / fintech | Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Media & entertainment |
| Best use cases | Fortune 500 digital product design bundled with brand and marketing work, Enterprise experience design backed by a large global network | Large UK enterprise product redesign with an internal capability-building component, Media or travel-sector digital product delivery at scale |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
AKQA vs AND Digital: pros and cons
| AKQA | |
|---|---|
| + | 6,000 people across 50 countries make it one of the largest networks in this pool |
| + | More than half of the Fortune 500's top 20 companies have been clients |
| + | Three decades of history, from an independent 1994 startup through its current WPP-backed scale |
| + | Broadened beyond web design into product, spatial, and AI-driven experience work |
| - | Fully absorbed into WPP's AKQA Group since 2020, so clients are hiring a large network agency, not an independent studio |
| - | Enterprise scale and pricing are less accessible to startups or small product teams |
| - | Broad, agency-network positioning means less concentrated product-design specialization than boutique studios |
| AND Digital | |
|---|---|
| + | Named enterprise client list (British Airways, Condé Nast, The Telegraph, Gousto) demonstrates real delivery scale |
| + | 1,001–5,000 employees give it significant UK delivery capacity |
| + | Combines product delivery with training the client's own team, not just a hand-off at project end |
| + | Multiple UK office locations (London, Maidenhead, Leeds) support regional delivery |
| - | UK-concentrated office footprint offers less multi-region coverage than global agency networks |
| - | Large consultancy scale and pricing are less accessible to startups than boutique studios |
| - | Talent-development-plus-delivery positioning means less singular focus on pure design than product-design-only specialists |
Who should choose AKQA?
A typical fit: fortune 500 digital product design bundled with brand and marketing work.
A 6,000-person, 50-country agency network with more than half the Fortune 500's top 20 as clients, now part of WPP's AKQA Group. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Financial services / fintech.
Who should choose AND Digital?
A typical fit: large UK enterprise product redesign with an internal capability-building component.
Pairs product delivery for named enterprise clients (British Airways, Condé Nast) with capability-building for the client's own teams, at 1,000+ person UK scale. Minimum engagement starts at Not published. Works best with clients in Enterprise transformation, Consumer products, Media & entertainment.
Decision matrix: AKQA vs AND Digital
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | AKQA |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | AKQA |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: AKQA (Not published) vs AND Digital (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | AKQA |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Neither; consider alternatives that offer staff aug |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Both may offer discovery engagements |
Use case fit: AKQA vs AND Digital
| Use case | AKQA fit | AND Digital fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortune 500 digital product design bundled with brand and marketing work | Strong | Limited | AKQA |
| Enterprise experience design backed by a large global network | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Large UK enterprise product redesign with an internal capability-building component | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Media or travel-sector digital product delivery at scale | Limited | Strong | AND Digital |
| Fixed-price product build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Dedicated design team augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: AKQA vs AND Digital
AKQA (3.6/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Product Design projects. A 6,000-person, 50-country agency network with more than half the Fortune 500's top 20 as clients, now part of WPP's AKQA Group.
AND Digital (3.6/5) is worth a look if you need media or travel-sector digital product delivery at scale. If your situation matches that, AND Digital is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
AKQA vs AND Digital FAQ
Is AKQA better than AND Digital?
AKQA (3.6/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. AKQA's strongest advantage: 6,000 people across 50 countries make it one of the largest networks in this pool. AND Digital's strongest advantage: named enterprise client list (British Airways, Condé Nast, The Telegraph, Gousto) demonstrates real delivery scale.
How do AKQA and AND Digital differ in pricing?
AKQA uses enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. AND Digital uses enterprise consulting engagement (project-based or retainer) pricing with a minimum engagement of Not published. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: AKQA or AND Digital?
AND Digital is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between AKQA and AND Digital?
AKQA's primary differentiator is: a 6,000-person, 50-country agency network with more than half the Fortune 500's top 20 as clients, now part of WPP's AKQA Group. AND Digital's primary differentiator is: pairs product delivery for named enterprise clients (British Airways, Condé Nast) with capability-building for the client's own teams, at 1,000+ person UK scale. They also differ in team size (~6,000 vs 1,001–5,000), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Enterprise transformation, Consumer products vs Enterprise transformation, Consumer products).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.